Cycling-skirt.



No. 632,592. Patented Sept. 5, I899. R. SKELTON.

CYCLING SKlB-T.

(Application filed. Kay 1, 1899.) (No Model.) 2 SheetsSheet I.

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Patented Sept. 5, I899. R. SKELTUN.

CYCLING SKIRT.

(Application filed May 1, 1899.)

2 SheetsSheet 2.

(No Model.)

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ROBERT SKELTON, OF DUBLIN, IRELAND.

CYCLING-SKIRT.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 632,592, dated September 5, 1899.

Application filed May 1,1899. Serial No. 715,215. (No model.)

T0 61/ whom it may concern:

Beit known that I, ROBERT SKELTON, a subj ect of the Queen of Great Britain, residing at 40 and 41 Aungier street, Dublin, Ireland, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in or Relating to Ladies Cycling- Skirts,of which the following is a specification.

This invention has for its obj eet a ladys cycling-skirt which can be worn also for walking and like purposes.

To carry myinvention into practice, I affix to the inside of an ordinary or improved skirt a cord or tape, which I rove through rings or like appliances, the free end of such cord or tape being passed through a suitable opening for outside drawing to bring the back fairly close to the legs at the rear of the wearer for cycling and also a portion of the front, so that those parts fit loosely, like riding-breeches, above the knees, leaving the lower part of the skirt somewhat full to fall well over the rearwheel guard without the usual tendency for the lower front of the skirt to rise from the instep of the feet while pedaling, the seat of the skirt remaining full and without drag or producing inconvenient tightness around the hips of the rider. The inner end of the running cord or tape is preferably attached to one eye of a double-eyed ring ator near the front, said cord or tube being carried to the back, where it is rove through a plain ring or its equivalent back to the front ring, through which it is rove, and from thence through the opening to the outside, where its free end can be drawn upon and secured to a button or other attachment.

By this invention a lady can step into her skirt and fasten it around her waist, and just previous to mounting the cycle she can draw on the cord or tape and distribute the skirt equally from both sides inwardly and then take her seat, without the necessity of afterward rising from 1 the pedals to adjust the garment.

My invention is represented on the annexed drawings.

Figure 1 is a face View of a double-holed ring for attachment to the inner front of a skirt and to which one end of a runner-cord is to be attached; Fig. 2, an elevation of the doubleholed ring of inner front of skirt, the runnercord, and the plain ring which I attach to the inner back of the skirt; Fig. 3, an elevation of skirt in an expanded form for ordinary walking or promenade purposes; Fig. i, a sectional elevation of the skirt with the rear lower portion drawn toward the front by the runner-cord and leaving the seat portion very full, the front being also drawn somewhat close, such as to the body of a wearer, so that the upper front may be well over or upon the knees and the lower part to fall close to the legs down to the insteps of the feet, the sides of the skirt, which are free, falling and lodging gracefully outside the rear-wheel guard when the lady is sitting on her bicycle; Fig. 5, an elevation corresponding to Fig. 2, except that the ring affixed to the back of the skirt has a hook connection for the ready attach-- ment to said back ring, the hook being part of or as a link hook through which the cord or tape is rove.

In the accompanying drawings the letter A indicates a cord-guide secured to the inside of the center part of the frontof the skirt B, and D a cord-guide secured to the inside of the center part of rear E of the skirt. A cord-hole F is formed in the side of the skirt at a point in juxtaposition to the skirtwaistband. The cord-guides A and D and cord-hole F are located at different heights or.

levels considerably above that part of the skirt which is normally on the line of the knees of the wearer. The cord-guideA is a double-hole ring, (best seen in Fig. 1,) and the cordguide D is preferably a plain single ring. (Best seen in Figs. 2 and 5.) A runner-cord C is secured at one end in one of the holes of the double-hole ring A and is led through plain ring D, affixed to inner rear portion E of skirt at a lower level than the front ring A. The runner-cord O is led back from ring D and passed through the open eye of double ring A, from whence the free end of the cord 0 passes through the cord-hole F in the skirt, which hole can be covered by a facing-piece G to give it the appearance of apocket, the free end of the cord being secured to a button H or otherwise, as desired.

I have shown the cord-guide D as a plain ring at the back inner portion of the skirt B for the passage of the cord, as at Fig. 3; but this guide may be otherwise constructed. A link hook I may be attached to the ring D for the cord 0 to run through the eye D of the hook I, as at Fig. 5.

It will be understood that the rings are so arranged to the front and rear of the skirt that the runner-cord C has its position between the legs of the wearer, and when the cord is drawn the central rear portion of the skirt follows somewhat close up under the knees at the back, but leaves the back upper or bustle portion J unaffected, which enables a lady wearing such a skirt to take her seat direct on a bicycle without the necessity of arranging her skirt afterward, as at present.

What I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

A cycling and walking dress-skirt having the cord-guide ringD secured at the rear directly below the bustle portion, the cord-guide ring A having two eyes or holes and secured to the center of the front, the cord-hole F at one side near the waistband, and the continuous, single cord 0 secured at one end in one of the eyes or holes of the front ring, passing back loosely through the rear ring, thence passing forward through the other eye or hole of the front ring and thence ascending to and through said cord-hole, all as shown, whereby the central rear part of the skirt above the knees is drawn forward,- and a central front part below the abdomen is drawn rearward, by pulling said cord.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of two subscribing witnesses. I

ROBERT SKELTONa W'itnesses:

WILLIAM SAWIN, A. O. EXHAM. 

